Synonyms for keen
kinkeen

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. keen

   Acute, from the Latin, suggests the sharpness of the needle's point; keen, from the Saxon, the sharpness of the cutting edge. Astute, from the Latin, with the original sense of cunning has come to have a meaning that combines the sense of acute or keen with that of sagacious. The astute mind adds to acuteness and keenness an element of cunning or finesse. The astute debater leads his opponents into a snare by getting them to make admissions, or urge arguments, of which he sees a result that they do not perceive. The acute, keen intellect may take no special advantage of these qualities; the astute mind has always a point to make for itself, and seldom fails to make it. A knowing look, air, etc., in general indicates practical knowledge with a touch of shrewdness, and perhaps of cunning; in regard to some special matter, it indicates the possession of reserved knowledge which the person could impart if he chose. Knowing has often a slightly invidious sense. We speak of a knowing rascal, meaning cunning or shrewd within a narrow range, but of a knowing horse or dog, in the sense of sagacious, implying that he knows more than could be expected of such an animal. A knowing child has more knowledge than would be looked for at his years, perhaps more than is quite desirable, while to speak of a child as intelligent is altogether complimentary.

   Synonyms:
   acute, astute, clear-sighted, crafty, cunning, discerning, discriminating, knowing, penetrating, penetrative, perspicacious, sagacious, sharp, shrewd, subtile, subtle

   Antonyms:
   blind, dull, idiotic, imbecile, shallow, short-sighted, stolid, stupid, undiscerning, unintelligent

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. keen

   Synonyms:
   eager, vehement, sharp, piercing, penetrating, acute, cutting, biting, severe, sarcastic, satirical, ardent, prompt, shrewd

   Antonyms:
   indifferent, languid, blunt, dull, blind

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:3.8 / 19 votes

1. keenadjective

   a funeral lament sung with loud wailing

   Antonyms:
   dull, unperceiving, mild, unperceptive, bad

2. acute, discriminating, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrating, penetrative, piercing, sharpadjective

   having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

   "an acute observer of politics and politicians"; "incisive comments"; "icy knifelike reasoning"; "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"; "penetrating insight"; "frequent penetrative observations"

   Synonyms:
   intense, penetrative, discriminating, shrill, neat, sharp, shrewd, lancinating, nifty, sharp-worded, not bad(p), bang-up, astute, incisive, acuate, dandy, tart, smashing, cutting, bully, precipitous, needlelike, slap-up, abrupt, lancinate, knifelike, corking, exquisite, groovy, great, acute, piercing, penetrating, swell, cracking, crisp, stabbing, peachy

   Antonyms:
   dull, bad, mild, unperceiving, unperceptive

3. exquisite, keenadjective

   intense or sharp

   "suffered exquisite pain"; "felt exquisite pleasure"

   Synonyms:
   incisive, slap-up, cracking, neat, sharp, lancinating, dainty, cutting, swell, knifelike, great, nifty, not bad(p), discriminating, bang-up, smashing, groovy, acute, corking, penetrating, recherche, exquisite, lancinate, piercing, bully, dandy, peachy, stabbing, penetrative

   Antonyms:
   dull, unperceptive, mild, unperceiving, bad

4. bang-up, bully, corking, cracking, dandy, great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not bad(p), peachy, slap-up, swell, smashingadjective

   very good

   "he did a bully job"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing"

   Antonyms:
   dull, mild, unperceiving, unperceptive, bad

5. cutting, keen, knifelike, piercing, stabbing, lancinate, lancinatingadjective

   painful as if caused by a sharp instrument

   "a cutting wind"; "keen winds"; "knifelike cold"; "piercing knifelike pains"; "piercing cold"; "piercing criticism"; "a stabbing pain"; "lancinating pain"

   Synonyms:
   slap-up, cracking, neat, sharp, lancinating, wounding, incisive, cutting, peachy, swell, knifelike, corking, bully, dandy, nifty, smashing, not bad(p), raw, discriminating, bang-up, acute, groovy, lancinate, stinging, edged, exquisite, penetrating, piercing, bleak, great, stabbing, penetrative

   Antonyms:
   dull, bad, unperceptive, unperceiving, mild

6. keenverb

   having a sharp cutting edge or point

   "a keen blade"

   Synonyms:
   slap-up, cracking, neat, sharp, lancinating, incisive, cutting, swell, knifelike, great, nifty, not bad(p), discriminating, bang-up, smashing, groovy, acute, corking, penetrating, exquisite, lancinate, piercing, bully, dandy, peachy, stabbing, penetrative

   Antonyms:
   dull, bad, unperceptive, unperceiving, mild

7. lament, keenverb

   express grief verbally

   "we lamented the death of the child"

   Synonyms:
   lament, deplore, bemoan, bewail

   Antonyms:
   dull, mild, bad, unperceiving, unperceptive

Matched Categories

1. • Express Emotion

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   eager, zealous, ardent, earnest, fervid, vehement

2. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   sharp, acute, with a fine edge

3. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   piercing, penetrating, cutting

4. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   severe, bitter, poignant, acrimonious, caustic

5. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   shrewd, discerning, quick, sagacious, astute, keen-sighted, keen-eyed, clear-sighted, long-headed

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. keenadjective

   Synonyms:
   sharp, acute, trenchant, penetrating, shrewd, astute, discerning, piercing, poignant, excruciating, a crimonious, mordacious, bitter, intense, severe, eager, ardent, ravenous, vehement

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "keen":

   anxious, eager, enthusiastic, willing, fierce, vivo, ardent, fervent, interested, intense, acute, desirous, passionate, strong

Suggested Resources

1. keen

   Song lyrics by keen -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by keen on the Lyrics.com website.

2. KEEN

   What does KEEN stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the KEEN acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce keen?

How to say keen in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use keen in a sentence?

1. Shanghai GM President Wang Yongqing:

   In terms of new energy, we are keen on power efficiency and emission control and are ardent to go electrical throughout our portfolio.

2. Don McGahn:

   > Washington( CNN) President Donald Trump denied again Friday President Donald Trump had instructed President Donald Trump former White House counsel to fire Robert Mueller, contradicting the redacted report Robert Mueller released last week and furthering a battle with Democrats over whether Don McGahn, Don McGahn, should testify before Congress.It comes as Trump scales up Don McGahn attacks on Robert Mueller and the report Don McGahn produced -- broadsides and claims that some view as damaging to an overall legal strategy of asserting executive privilege to prevent key aides from appearing before Congress.Some West Wing officials have conceded that the President's tweets disputing McGahn's account are not helpful to their case, and fear it could make it more difficult to assert privilege over a conversation that Trump denies occurred. Mueller's report portrays The President as consumed by the Russia probe and intent on short-circuiting it. Those portrayals have led Democrats on Capitol Hill to issue their own requests for some of the report's key players, including Don McGahn. But White House has dug in, refusing to cooperate with the requests and disallowing some aides from appearing before congressional panels.Trump at war with Democrats : Were fighting all the subpoenasIn the case of Don McGahn, lawmakers are keen to know what specifically Trump asked in his conversations about the special counsel. In his report, Robert Mueller wrote Trump read MoreBut Trump has long disputed that, including to Don McGahn Don McGahn in an episode recounted in detail in the Mueller report. Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn, Trump insisted he would have been within his rights to dismiss Robert Mueller, but that history told him to hold off.

3. Ronan Sayburn:

   I don't know how keen people would be on following what a computer tells them to drink, based on what they had previously, i think part of the appeal of wine is forming your own opinions.

4. Mustafa Alani:

   The Saudis are very keen not to allow Egypt to collapse, but at the same time the Saudis cannot pay forever. I think King Salman will try to explain these issues.

5. Anjali Raut:

   Even though I attended many of the fashion shows where Alesia was in, I never thought I’d be up there. I wasn’t keen on it, but my mom was. She signed me up for the Miss Mumbai pageant and winning third place just got the ball rolling.